Chapter 40; air battle

Ash, Brock and Misty headed off from Violet City heading for Azalea town next, first thing in the morning. Ash wasn't typically an early bird – after all this very fact was how he met his Pikachu – but now that he knew his rival was also there he wanted to race ahead and shorten the gap between himself and Sonic.

And Sonic's echidna friend also was on his radar. Even though their battle never concluded, the comment the third member of Sonic's party, the two-tailed fox Brock said was named Tails, was still echoing in his mind.

Ever since coming to Johto to deliver the gs ball to professor oak's colleague and consequently deciding to aim for the johto league, he had caught 2 new pokemon, firstly the chikorita that he used against Knuckles and a heracross. But he still mostly used charizard and Pikachu to end the battles. That caused complaints from his opponents but Ash disregarded them.

But the same fact coming from Sonic, the one Ash wanted to defeat above all others haunted him. Made him doubt himself again.

"Could I have really beaten Knuckles if I had used heracross? Or even Pikachu?"

Misty noticed his troubled face.

"You ok?"

"No I'm not ok. After finally believing I was catching up to him I now feel even further behind. And his raichu… how could it knock out Charizard with one thunder punch? That shouldn't be possible. Charizard battled Moltres to a draw. You mean to tell me Sonic's raichu is stronger than his Moltres?"

"I don't know. What do you think Brock?"

"I don't know either. It certainly is powerful. It beat that other kid's Zapdos. I think the kid's name was Mike. Anyway there's something else that bothers me. Sonic said after the indigo league that his journey was over. So how come he started a new one and in Johto of all places?"

"Beats me. All I know is that our distance is bigger than ever. And to think I won the orange league too. I just don't know how to get stronger to rub it in his face after I beat him".

"Well firstly you need to stop using Charizard as much. If you always depend on it then chikorita and heracross will never become stronger" Brock surmised.

Ash gritted his teeth at the thought of not using one of his strongest pokemon. But at the same time Charizard was knocked out with a single punch. Could it too need more training?

While the trio was busy walking and talking, they failed to notice team rocket following them, preparing an ambush.

"You all ready?" Jessie asked her teammates excited.

"Jessie I'm getting tired of this. Why don't we try something new for a change and go for the hedgehog instead?"

"No way. The twerp has made this personal. We're having that Pikachu!"

"Not to mention, he is not nearly as dangerous as the hedgehog" Meowth said with a hint of fear of Sonic in his voice.

"Oh well. Guess we should prepare for another blast-off then" James muttered.

"Oh shut up" Jessie countered slapping him on the back of his head "you'll see it will be different this time".

"No hedgehog no problem for me" Meowth smiled revealing its claws.

Meanwhile team Sonic entered Violet city ready once again to tackle Falkner. As Sonic and Knuckles were arguing over who would fight Falkner first they heard a faraway explosion.

"Huh?" all 3 spoke at once.

Looking at the direction of the boom they saw a small dot launching towards the sky, making an arch and then crashlanding in front of them.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me. As if Ash is not enough I have to deal with you three morons?"

Meowth immediately identified the voice.

"Gah no save me!" he screamed hiding behind Jessie.

"Who are those guys?" Tails asked Sonic.

"Members of team rocket" Sonic said menacingly.

"Let me at them Sonic!" Knuckles asked bumping his fists together.

"Wait" Sonic stopped him and approached the frightened team rocket.

"We're in a good mood today. You could help us keep this mood and let you go off unscathed… if you tell us where your comrades are and what they're up too".

"We'd love to but we don't know" Jessie said waving her hands in a way that was screaming 'mercy we're beaten'.

"I don't buy it" Knuckles said cracking his knuckles.

"It's true. We've gone rogue in a way. We just want to find the boss and present it with the twerp's Pikachu to get him to come back to us".

Sonic felt his blood boiling. Bring him back?!

"Raichu".

"Rai".

"Teach our good friends here a proper lesson".

"W-Wait! We told you all we know!"

"Yes. And you know what? I believe you. Thunder punch!"

Raichu used thunder punch on the lot.

"We're blasting off agaaiiiin!" team Sonic heard them scream as they disappeared into the sky.

"That… was a little harsh" Tails couldn't help but note.

"I was kind to them" Sonic said trying to quell his rage "you heard them? They want to help Giovanni return from exile. That alone should have been worthy of a death sentence".

"Death sentence?" Tails thought in horror. Sonic was actually scaring him.

"Ok maybe death sentence is too much. But I should have let Knuckles have a go at them first. And I don't mean in a pokemon battle".

"Not that they could. I wonder who beat them" Knuckles wondered aloud.

"Isn't it obvious? They are stalking Ash".

"True".

"Well" Sonic said taking deep breaths to calm down "let's go. We shouldn't keep Falkner waiting".

"He's not expecting us" Knuckles answered.

"Maybe. But my temper's flared now, I'm itching for a battle".

"No way. I'm taking him on first" Knuckles countered.

However their argument was pointless. For when they entered the gym, they were greeted by Falkner, his back turned against them and, even though they couldn't see it, his eyes closed.

"I was wondering when you would show up, hero of Kanto".

Sonic was caught by surprise. How did he tell they had arrived?

"Your and your friend's victory at the sprout tower trials was indeed impressive. I was hoping to face you sooner but no time like the present. But… I will only accept one fight with you" Falkner said still not turning to face them.

"Oh yeah? What challenge?"

"Your Moltres. I will only accept your battle for my badge if you bring it out".

Sonic wasn't expecting this. And that could pose a problem. Moltres was back in Kanto.

"Moltres is not with me at this point in time".

"And why does it have to be Moltres? Sonic is going for your badge you're supposed to use a set team for beginner trainers" Knuckles stood up for Sonic.

"I'm not the only one who wants to fight his Moltres" Falkner declared turning around.

At the same time, a Pidgeot flew inside the gym from the opening in the ceiling and flapped its wings majestically crying out a cry of excitement and battle determination.

"My partner pokemon desires to fight your legendary bird. So I suggest that, while your friend battles me with his team, you go and bring your Moltres from whichever place it rests. Pokemon center is right around the corner so you can retrieve it easily".

Sonic was backed into a corner. He hadn't left Moltres somewhere he could just pick it up. But at the same time it was the perfect opportunity to test his connection to his Alakazam.

"Ok" he shrugged. Tails looked at him sideways in question wondering how Sonic planning to bring Moltres here, having forgotten the connection.

Sonic exited the gym. Knuckles stepped forward ready.

"We use 2 pokemon each".

"Sounds good to me" Knuckles said eager to begin.

Falkner nodded.

"Go Pidgey!"

"Go bellsprout!"

The two pokemon stood opposite each other, bellsprout having the disadvantage. Both it and Knuckles however were ready.

"Battle begin" the gym referee declared.

"Pidgey use gust!"

"Bellsprout tough it out and use growth!"

Bellsprout resisted the wind gust as best as it could while raising its attack. It was obvious however that it wouldn't be able to take a supereffective move twice in a row like that.

"Pidgey gust again!"

"Bellsprout use vine whip to jump!"

Bellsprout used its vines to jump, dodging the gust.

"Looks like Sonic's tactic rubbed off on Knuckles" Tails commented smiling.

"Now bellsprout! Wrap!"

Wrap was a move Knuckles had concealed his pokemon learning as they had learnt it the night before. Still in the air, it wrapped its vines around pidgey, restricting its movements and sending them both plummeting down even though they were not at a high altitude.

The crash momentarily created a cloud of dirt that covered the two pokemon. When the dust settled, both Knuckles and Falkner witnessed pidgey desperately struggling to escape the wrap, managing to stand up, take one or two steps, try and fly away only to collapse back down again, all the while letting out cries of pain and determination.

"Pidgey use gust around you" Falkner tried to retaliate.

But it was no use. Sonic, albeit not thinking it to be exactly fair, had informed Knuckles of the comment Misty had made the day before, explaining that Falkner most likely used flying types. Knuckles had prepared for this type of matchup and his strategy was working out perfectly.

With one final strong wrap choke, pidgey toppled and bellsprout emerged victorious.

"Impressive" Falkner complimented Knuckles recalling pidgey "a grass type beating a flying type in this gym is not something I see often. But let's see how well you do against this!" he exclaimed sending out pidgeotto.

Knuckles gritted his teeth. An evolved form was going to be a challenge.

"This guy has the whole pidgey evolution line? I wonder how strong the pidgeot Sonic will face will be" he thought.

Outside the gym, Sonic had hid in an alleyway behind a garbage dumpster and racked his brain on how he could actually contact Alakazam. He had never tested it before and cursed not testing it when they were still at Mewtwo's cave.

All he could do was yell inside his mind.

"Alakazam can you hear me?"

Faraway in the Kanto region, Alakazam, Mewtwo and Moltres were bringing a pokemon that was abandoned by its trainer over to the cave. Alakazam and Mewtwo were floating through the air, Alakazam with help from Mewtwo hoping to one day become powerful enough in its psychic abilities that it would actually fly like Mewtwo.

Alakazam then heard the call.

"Alakazam it's Sonic. Can you hear me?"

Mewtwo who was also linked with Alakazam due to their past experiences heard it.

"It's Sonic" he said talking to Alakazam. It hummed it agreement.

"Alakazam if you can hear me, I need Moltres' help. We're in Johto, in Violet city".

Mewtwo also heard the message and nodded.

"Sonic needs you" he said talking to Moltres "leave the gloom with us. Go to Violet city" Mewtwo said implanting inside Moltres' head Sonic's location. Just like it had linked with Lugia, Mewtwo linked with Sonic momentarily, enabling him to find out the exact location of Violet City. Moltres cried out in excitement at the prospect of reuniting with Sonic. Mewtwo lifted the gloom that was riding on Moltres with its psychic and Moltres accelerated with immense speed heading west.

Back in Violet, Knuckles was ready for the second battle.

"Brace yourself challenger cause this won't go like the last one! Pidgeotto use wing attack!"

Pidgeotto dived faster than Knuckles could react heading straight for bellsprout.

"Use vine whip to dodge!"

Bellsprout extended its vines.

"Hit the vine whip with the wing attack!" Falkner suddenly ordered.

Pidgeotto's wings hit the vine whip, causing it to bend and launch bellsprout against its will sending it rolling to the ground.

"Now before it gets up! Quick attack!"

Pidgeotto in the blink of an eye crashed into bellsprout sending it crashing into the gym wall, knocking it out. Knuckles was in utter shock and run to bellsprout's side.

"Bellsprout are you ok?"

"Bell.. sprout".

Knuckles sighed in relief. Tails was again wondering how come Knuckles was so frightened and caring with his pokemon. Sonic was a trainer for far longer and probably saw his pokemon faint more than once but never seemed too worried for them.

"What are you hiding Knuckles?" Tails wondered silently.

Knuckles recalled bellsprout and turned to face Falkner sending out cyndaquil.

"Come at us!" he declared as cyndaquil's flames on its back erupted.

"As you wish! Quick attack!"

Knuckles expected the attack this time. He knew he couldn't dodge it but he would be able to profit off of it.

"Smokescreen!"

"Knuckles no!" Tails exclaimed when he realized what his friend said.

The smokescreen hit the pidgeotto but didn't affect it. Pidegotto hit Cyndaquil but it got back up fairly easily.

"Damnit no keen eye!" Knuckles cursed.

"And to think I warned him last night" Tails thought, sighing in disappointment.

"Again pidgeotto, quick attack!"

"Ember!"

Cyndaquil fired ember. Pidegotto flew right through the ember.

It didn't come out unscathed.

The attack connected but didn't have the same effect as before. Pidgeotto was burned.

"Nice cyndaquil!" Knuckles exclaimed.

"Good and lucky" Falkner said smiling "but still not enough. Pidgeotto air cutter!"

Pidgeotto flapped its wings creating a powerful air current that struck cyndaquil, damaging it and even lowering the intensity of the flames on its back.

"Cyndaquil! Counter with rapid fire ember!"

Cyndaquil tried to use its move but most of the embers were deflected either away from it or right back into it damaging it further.

"No" Knuckles whispered, his hands trembling unable to take seeing his pokemon getting hurt.

He was about to lift Cyndaquil's pokeball to recall it and submit but Cyndaquil saw it.

"Quiiiiiil!" it cried out loudly determined not to sumbit. It looked back at Knuckles who became conflicted.

"Quiiiiil! Quiiiil! Lava!" it cried out on more time as a blue glow engulfed it.

"What?" Knuckles said in surprise.

"No way. How? It's too early!" Tails exclaimed just as surprised.

Cyndaquil's body was transformed becoming larger and longer. The air cutter stopped. Cyndaquil emerged as a new pokemon.

"Qui! Lava!"

"Woah" Knuckles said taking out his pokedex.

"Quilava the volcano pokemon. Quilava keeps its foes at bay with the intensity of its flames and gusts of superheated air. This pokemon applies its outstanding nimbleness to dodge attacks even while scorching the foe with flames".

"Wow" Knuckles said in awe "alright then quilava! Let's put that nimbleness to the test! Ember!"

Quilava unleashed a powerful ember, much more powerful than when it was a cyndaquil. Pidgeotto flew away to avoid getting too hurt, though the burn kept taking its toll.

"Pidgeotto quick attack!"

The quick attack was launched but the pokedex didn't lie. Quilava partially dodged the attack, still getting smacked but coming out mostly unharmed.

"Now quilava! Show them what we got! Rapid fire ember!"

Quilava unleashed a flurry of embers. Contrary to cyndaquil, each of the smaller embers of quilava had the ferocity of a fully charged cyndaquil ember. Pidgeotto tried to avoid the barrage but the moment one landed it was over. The rest also found their mark after the first one to land, and at last pidgeotto, too exhausted to even stay afloat anymore, crashlanded, fainted.

Falkner who couldn't have expected such a move, gave his pidgeotto a rawst berry to heal the burn and then looked at Knuckles.

"Congratulations. You have prevailed. So take this" he said tossing Knuckles a small shiny badge.

"The zephyr badge is yours" Falkner commented.

Knuckles smiled proud. No exclamation, not jumping in joy. That was the usual Knuckles Tails knew from their older adventures. But here he was so calm and in peace.

Falkner then looked around.

"Well where is your other friend Sonic? He said he would be back with his Moltres".

Tails who during the battle had texted Sonic to see if he had any luck summoning Moltres from Kanto, tried to come up with something.

"Well… the thing is…".

"I'm here" Sonic declared with a huge grin entering the gym again.

Falkner immediately asked Knuckles to step off the arena and give his place to Sonic. Eager to battle he ordered his Pidgeot who was standing by the whole time to soar.

"So? Where is your Moltres hero of Kanto?"

"The name's Sonic. I'm no hero. I only did the right thing. So let's get on with it. MOLTRES!" he yelled at the end of the phrase.

Moltres emerged from the opening of the gym ceiling illuminating every bit of the gym. Both Falkner and Pidgeot took the sight in, Pidgeot itself getting second thoughts against that beast.

"Ready?" Sonic asked smiling.

Falkner clenched his fist in excitement.

"Come get us!"

"Moltres sunny day!"

Moltres used its move successfully. Just as Sonic expected its moves were still the same.

"Pidgeot wing attack!"

Pidgeot flew fast towards its opponent.

Moltres effortlessly dodged. Having fought against the other legendary birds of Kanto, a pidgeot was nothing.

"Flamethrower!"

Moltres unleashed a more powerful flamethrower than it even had before during its Kanto journey. Pidgeot was engulfed in the flames and appeared to have fainted falling straight down.

"Easy win" Knuckles commented.

"NOW! QUICK ATTACK!" Falkner shouted.

It was a fake out. Pidgeot used its already built momentum from the fall, opened its wings and perfectly made an arch against the ground soaring again at incredible speed and slamming into Moltres. Moltres, caught off guard. Moltres lost its balance and plummeted down, though having learned from its experience at the orange islands, opened its wings cut the momentum in half, landing less roughly than it could have.

Sonic too was caught off guard. And he also remembered Misty mentioning Ash's Charizard fought that pidgeot too. Charizard had managed to get a draw out of Moltres.

"Then again" Sonic thought smiling as he remembered a detail he had forgotten "Ash used his primeape to deal some damage to Moltres before Charizard. That means they are not perfectly equal in power".

"Moltres can you go on?"

Moltres screeched in battle excitement. It soared again meeting pidgeot face to face.

"Pidgeot don't give them a chance! Wing attack!"

Pidgeot flew towards Moltres.

"Moltres fly away!"

Moltres flew away with Pidgeot in hot pursuit.

The battle carried them outside them gym and into the open sky. Sonic and Falkner rushed out to find the two flying types engaging in a dogfight.

"Pidgeot air cutter!"

Pidgeot unleashed the air current towards Moltres. Sonic witnessed Moltres get hit by it. But that gave him an idea.

"Pidgeot air cutter again!"

The moment the attack was launched Sonic found his opening.

"Moltres now! Do a loop de loop!"

"WHAT?!" Falkner exclaimed having never heard of such a strategy.

Moltres flew upwards, upside down and then rightside up again, making a circle and now flying right behind Pidgeot.

"Now use air slash while barrel rolling!"

Moltres started spinning clockwise doing a barrel roll. With each spin it sent a couple air slashes, one from each of its wings straight at Pidgeot. Pidgeot just like the pidgeotto before found itself getting struck over and over by a barrage of power stab boosted flying type attacks. And just like the pidgeotto once the barrage ended, Pidgeot plummeted.

Contrary to pidgeotto however which plummeted earlier at a lower altitude, a fall of that sort would certainly resort in pidgeot's death.

At least had it not been for Sonic's timely action.

"Moltres save pidgeot!"

Moltres flew down and under the falling pidgeot. Positioning itself under it, it fired a flamethrower to the ground. The force of the intense flames hitting the ground created enough counter force to allow Moltres to land safely and for pidgeot to slump down to the ground exhausted but grateful.

As the two flying types exchanged cries Sonic and Falkner approached them.

"You were amazing. Get a good rest" Falkner said to his pidgeot recalling it.

"You were great Moltres. Just as ever" Sonic said petting it on the neck.

Moltres placed its long neck on Sonic's shoulder almost causing him to fall down from the weight.

"Hehe I missed you too pal" he said hugging it.

Raichu went in for a hug as well, accidentally zapping Moltres a bit. Moltres however didn't seem to mind.

Falkner approached Sonic who let raichu and Moltres chat and turned to face him.

"Everything I heard about you and that Moltres and witnessed on tv could never describe the bond and power I witnessed here today. You really are something else hero of Kanto. Or if you prefer so, Sonic the hedgehog. You just like your friend have earned this" he said seriously but smiling handing Sonic a zephyr badge as well.

"Thanks man" Sonic answered observing the small shiny badge. Knuckles put his side by side with Sonic's.

"One down, seven to go" he said smiling.

"Yeah" Sonic nodded.

Afterwards Falkner left the team and their pokemon and returned inside his gym. After a little bit of catching up and short meeting between Moltres and the team's new pokemon, it was time for them to split again.

Sonic, raichu and Moltres hugged each other once again.

"Tell everyone I miss them and not to worry. Team rocket will be dealt with".

Moltres cried out in agreement and soared heading east this time, back to Kanto.

Sonic and raichu observed it flying away until it disappeared into the horizon. Sonic let a tear drop though didn't let Tails and Knuckles see it.

"Well. As Knuckles said. One down, seven to go. Next stop" Tails said looking at the map "Azalea town. Hey you know there is a local attraction called the slowpoke well there. Maybe we could visit the place. That pokemon always fascinated me".

"Same" Sonic commented as the team headed towards the south exit of the city "you know I once read the shell slowbro has on its tail is a shellder but it looks nothing like it".

"I've noticed it too. Scientists have been trying to figure out why that is" Tails recalled the documentary he had seen "one in specific said he had a theory the shell is something like a variant of shellder but that makes no sense with the current data. Both shellder and slowbro come from the same region aka same ecosystem aka why haven't any variants of shellder been reported?"

Sonic and Knuckles let Tails rumble on about it smiling.

"Yeah classic Tails" Sonic thought as they headed south towards Azalea town unaware of the two confrontations awaiting. One for team Sonic and one for the leader of team Sonic.